Re: retroflex consonants

> I think the non-retroflex version, in which the tongue is
> bunched up in the mouth, is actually pretty common.  In my
> case, the difference between l and r is that in l, the tongue
> tip is making alveolar contact, whereas in r, it's not
> touching anything.
>
> Larry Niven's proper name "Halrloprillilar", when enunciated
> by me, comes out with /alrlo/ as a rapid double-tonguing.
In my English idiolect, the /r/ is retroflex only in carefully
enunciated speech; it takes that 'bunched-up' form more often than not.

Oddly enough, my 'Halrloprillalar' is something like
/hal_d.'l`o.pr=.la.,lar/, with dental /l/ right next to retroflexed /l/.
It's a very Seinundj'e kind of word.

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Shreyas Sampat